SYDNEY LIVING MUSEUMS

Dr Penny Stannard

Head, Curatorial

Portrait of woman smiling, wearing a patterned shirt.

Penelope (Penny) Stannard grew up learning about the stories, memories and mysteries of her family, and the places and events that defined the artists, writers, diplomats and scientists who make up her ancestral tree.

Stories by Dr Penny Stannard

Image of a key on a cream background

History Reflected: about the exhibition

The new Museum of Sydney exhibition ‘History Reflected’ takes audiences on a journey through the NSW State Archives Collection to see what these unique historical records reveal about the past and to...

Double glass plate black and white photo of man with short beard, wire-framed glasses and a slightly turned in eye.

Cecil Pierpont, the bogus baronet

A prison photograph captures an inveterate fraudster partway through a lifetime of deception – but who was the real Cecil Pierpont?

Image of an artwork by Aboriginal artist Gordon Syron

An acquisitions renaissance

In 2020–21, Sydney Living Museums has experienced something of a renaissance in our acquisition of contemporary art. This has been driven by the opportunity to acquire some exciting artworks, and the...

Painted scene of houses.

Discover Paradise on Earth

Whether you’re a lover of design, architecture and art, or simply seeking an oasis in the CBD, this new exhibition invites you to reflect on the extraordinary story of architect Marion Mahony Griffin...

Two women in front of exhibition panel.

Maria Lock’s 1831 petition

This extraordinary document is of great interest historically – and, as Dr Penny Stannard discovered, it also contains a moving connection to her own family that continues to resonate down the...

Black and white photograph.

Thousands of words

The exhibition A Thousand Words has been viewed more than 115,000 times online, and many people have contributed their own responses, forever changing how the photographs are understood.